Hitherto, this type of rolling guide device includes a track member on which a rolling surface for rolling elements is formed along a longitudinal direction of the track member, and a moving member, which is assembled to the track member through intermediation of a large number of the rolling elements that roll on the rolling surface, and is configured to freely reciprocate along the track member. An endless circulation path for the rolling elements is formed in the moving member. This endless circulation path allows the moving member to move along the track member without any stroke limitation.
In a rolling guide device disclosed in JP 2006-105296 A, the moving member includes a main body member made of a metal, a plurality of circulation path modules mounted on the main body member, and a pair of lid members mounted on the main body member so as to cover the circulation path modules. Load rolling surfaces opposed to the respective rolling surfaces of the track member are formed on the main body member. The rolling elements are configured to roll in a load path defined by the rolling surface and the load rolling surface that are opposed to each other. Further, each circulation path module mounted on the main body member includes a pipe portion inserted into a through hole formed in the main body member, and a direction change portion formed at one end of the pipe portion and arranged on an end surface of the main body member in its moving direction.
A return path for the rolling elements is formed in the pipe portion in parallel to the load path, whereas an inner direction change path for connecting the return path and the load path is formed in the direction change portion. Further, an inner peripheral guide surface of an outer direction change path intersecting with the inner direction change path is formed on an outer surface of the direction change portion. When the lid member is mounted on the main body member so as to cover the circulation path module, the outer direction change path is formed between the direction change portion and the lid member.
The endless circulation path for the rolling elements is formed by a pair of circulation path modules in combination, and the pair of circulation path modules is mounted on the main body member so as to be opposed to each other. At this time, the pipe portions of the respective circulation path modules are inserted into different through holes formed in the main body member, and the distal end of each pipe portion protrudes through the main body member so as to be connected to the outer direction change path formed by the direction change portion of the opposing circulation path module. That is, the endless circulation path looped in an order of the load path, the inner direction change path, the return path, the outer direction change path, and the load path is formed by the pair of circulation path modules in combination. Further, the inner direction change path and the outer direction change path intersect with each other at each direction change portion, and thus two endless circulation paths are formed.
Further, a scooping piece for separating the rolling elements, which have rolled along the load path, off from the track member so as to guide the rolling elements into the inner direction change path is formed on the direction change portion of each circulation path module. On the other hand, a scooping piece for guiding the rolling elements, which have rolled along the load path, into the outer direction change path is not formed on the direction change portion, but is formed on the lid member on which an outer guide surface of the outer direction change path is formed.